We loved this hotel. It is removed from the noisy, busy, nearby towns. The grounds and buildings are in the Tana Toraja tradition.

The hotel provided us with an excellent guide, car, and driver for two days exploring the unique cultural of Tana Toraja. The staff from the manager Andry R. Manangka on down were professional and proficient. All spoke excellent English. The hotel has a grand pool and would be a good spot for families. It is also an excellent location for conferences. The rates are very reasonable as well.

The eight to ten hour night bus ride from the skeevy city that is Makassar to the highlands of Rantepao is not for the queasy.

My sage advice: take a motion sickness pill and travel stoned. Ginger will not cut it.
I sure wished I had taken my advice. I didn't. I arrived in Tana Toraja, the Land of the Dead, half-dead and my crisp new white shirt streaked with vomit.
Blinded by the early morning light I staggered into the lobby of the Hotel Pison. Elifas, the manager, summarily reviewed this shaking and poorly rendered apparition that trembled before him and immediately ordered up a ginger tea. Check-in formalities were put aside and I was led to my room where I collapsed and remained for the next six days. Influenza took full advantage of my weakened state.
The rooms here are minimally appointed but spacious. Bear in mind that this is Sulawesi and a minimally priced hotel: but sweet lord, there is ample hot water, a generous supply of fluffy towels and the sheets were fresh. The only intrusion of wildlife was a colony of ants in the bathroom. No big deal for me.
The real plus is the large dining room that also served as my office and reading study. If I wanted tea or a beer I need only sing out and it was brought to me with a genuine smile. There is free wifi but the modem can be temperamental. I suspect it is due to the neighbors attaching themselves to the signal for a free ride.
The restaurant menu selection is small. Which is a good thing. Everything is cooked fresh and to order. Expect your dinner to take an hour to arrive. Considering that the chicken you just ordered was flitting about the courtyard that afternoon an hour is pretty good timing. Note: be sure to ask when a fresh pig is to be delivered. The Torajan specialty pork in bamboo is a wonderfully spicy treat. Goes great with a Bintang or two.

They staff are exceptionally friendly, understanding, and attentive to our needs. The scenery is remarkably excellent.

The hotel is by the rapidly flowing gorgeous river, overlooking the mountain. There's a traditional market just a short block away from the hotel. We met the owner of the hotel during our brief stay, and we were impressed by his friendliness and familiar approach. Very rare to find the hotel owner in such a nice establishment.

Traveler impressions of Tana Toraja

The essential part of Tana Toraja is the burial site which actually 10 km from Rantepao (the largest city in the area).

If you want to be closer to the burial sites, it is better to choose hotel in the area Makale. However, Rantepao has its own lifestyle, which is laid back but hard working. If you are interested in seeing how Indonesian people function before the rise of capitalism, Rantepao is the place.
There are many burial sites in Tana Toraja but the most famous ones are Kete' Kesu and Londa. The two are tourist friendly and most tour guides will direct you to these two area aside from other burial sites. Most of the time, there are no ceremony (either burial or celebration) but if you want to join their party, watch for June and December because they tend to held ceremony during school breaks or holiday.

Tana Toraja is the name of the area and Rantepao the name of the city. We had a good massage at a local massage parlour just behind the hotel.

There was 1 restaurant for tourist in town which had great food too and nice hangout place. Otherwise there isn't much to do in the city itself. The main attrractions are watching the cave burials sites and houses and culture of the Torajans. Very interesting like walking around a NatGeo documentary.

Toraja is very magical land from Indonesia. If you are backpakers you should use a local guide to feel the amazingness of Toraja because you should need to know the story of this land, and what the meaning of everthing that you seen.

May make you should take additional budget but trust me thats worthed ! Than you save your money, take some photos on location but don't get an amazing experience and story of Tana Toraja Land, which means you've got nothing.

There are good and reasonably priced hotels and restaurants available if you are willing to seek them out.

It is easy to find a guide in Rantapao so no need to organize one before you arrive. We hired a guide for the first 2 days and then did our own thing for the rest of the time. Walking or motor scooters are OK as Toraga is a valley so you can't get lost and traffic is light except for the main road.

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Agoda.com offers a selection of the very best hotels in Tana Toraja, Indonesia to ensure your visit fits your expectations. With over 8 different establishments, there is a great variety to choose from. Many areas, each with a distinctive atmosphere, are just waiting to be discovered across the city. Tana Toraja has many attractions to explore with its fascinating past, intriguing present and exciting future. There are so many things to do, you may want to stay an extra week or so to experience them all. Don't delay and book today to get the best hotel deals in Tana Toraja!